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Uproar in MP assembly; Opposition demands restoration of tribal day holiday
On the first day of monsoon session, the Opposition leaders staged protest in the well of the House, accusing the BJP-led state government for insulting tribal by taking away their rights of celebrating the day
The Congress on Monday staged a protest in Madhya Pradesh assembly demanding that the state holiday on World Tribal Day on August 9 be restored.
On the first day of monsoon session, the Opposition leaders staged protest in the well of the House, accusing the BJP-led state government for insulting tribal by taking away their rights of celebrating the day.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was marked for the first time by UN General Assembly in December 1994. But in the state, it was only in 2019 that then Congress-led state government announced a public holiday on August 9 and also allocated budget to every district to organise programmes.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Kamal Nath, said, “The BJP-led state government cancelled the holiday and changed to an optional leave. The state government has not allocated any budget for celebration. It is harassing tribals and working against them.”
“Atrocities against people of our community have increased...We will not allow injustice,” said tribal leader and Congress MLA Hiralal Alawa.
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Amid protest, Congress leaders walked out of the House and sat on dharna outside the assembly. Later, the House was adjourned for the day.
Hitting back at the Congress, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “It is an optional holiday but it has become a habit of the Congress to do indecent politics. Today, they insulted the departed soul of tribal leader Kalavati Bhuria and others by not paying tribute to them.”
“The BJP doesn’t need any certificate from Congress about how much they care about tribals. We will observe Janjati Gaurav Diwas on November 15 on Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP Member of Parliament Gajendra Patel, who is also the national general of BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha, claimed that the World Tribal Day is a conspiracy by those who want to convert tribals into Christians.
“People of the tribal community celebrate so many festivals but some anti-national organisations and missionaries focus on August 9 as World Tribal Day to misguide and convert them. They organise programmes to attract tribal towards their religion on the pretext of providing help, medical aid, and education,” he said.
Jai Adiwasi Yuva Sangathan protested against Patel’s statement. JAYS general secretary Dr Anand Rai said, “The state government and its leaders are insensitive towards tribals. The UN has declared it the World Tribal Day. It has nothing to do with politics. The government first scrapped the holiday and now, a BJP MP is calling it a conspiracy. They remember tribals only at the time of elections.”
We will intensify our protest if World Tribal Day state holiday is not restored. Madhya Pradesh has 15.31 million tribal population which constitutes more than 21% of total population.
